And the Award goes to....!

Custom Jewelry by Solange is the winner!

Congratulations Solange!

~Here is the answer Solange gave~

"The leaves are long lance shaped leaves and usually have toothed edges and once the rosette forms, it is consisted of a bunch of ray florets. Which looks like little stems inside the flower in the color yellow. Theyre thin & surround the flower throughout."

Solange's Etsy store will be featured on my blog this week during my giveaway!

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Thank you everyone who participated in my game,

it was fun reading your answers!

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~These were the most amusing answers~

Feel free to pass this award on to others as you wish!
We all need some laughter in our lives.

• Salad for Breakfast said...
  "it's not supposed to have a green leaf!"
  
• SleightGirl said...
  "My guess is that there's absolutely nothing wrong with it."
  

• Audrey said...
  "The only thing I can find wrong with the dandelion is that is has a hair clip attached to it. The dandelions on my yard don't. Maybe your have a different breed of dandelion?"

• SaladforBreakfast, leaves are green :)

• SleightGirl, the leaf was the wrong shape.
• But I love that you thought it might be a trick!''

• Audrey, It's true that dandelions aren't normally attached to hair clips, but mine are very unique. We use a very very special fertilizer. I'd give you the recipe, but it's kind of a family secret.
  

Tutorial- Dandelion Puff Barrettes

~CONTEST~

Tell me what is wrong with this dandelion.

The first person to guess correctly will be featured during my upcoming

giveaway!

*There is nothing wrong with the tutorial, but the flower it's self.*

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I apologize for my less than perfect photos. I had bad lighting today.

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How To Make Dandelion Puff Barrettes

~Supplies~
Yellow Felt
Hair Clip
Scissors
Thread
Sewing needle
E6000

~~~

Cut a 12" by 1" strip of yellow felt.

You can also try longer lengths and/or widths for a larger flower.

Cut thin slits on one side of the strip, from end to end widthwise.

Be careful not to cut to the opposite side!

Stay between the red arrows.

Roll up the entire strip, just like a "Fruit Roll-up"!

It sticks together pretty well because of the fibers.

No worries of it unraveling during this process.

Sew the rolled layers together.

Start from the outside and thread to the center

(as shown).

*Sew from center to the outside and through center again and Repeat.*

Continue stitching over and through the center, then back out and repeat.

Make sure to stitch all the way around.

Give the thread a pull to tighten the layers.
Tie ends off.

Your Dandelion Puff is finished, let's connect it to the barrette and leaf now!

Cut out desired leaf shape, make sure it's large enough to cover the barrette!

If you'd like to embroider leaf veins, do that now.

I like E6000, it has a strong hold and outlasts most glues.

It can be bought at most craft stores.

You can also use hot glue if you don't have E6000 handy.

Line the glue generously around the clip.

Do not glue the middle piece!

Press the clip and leaf together.

Wipe the excess glue from the clip edges.

Leave the center clip piece up while the glue dries.

This will ensure that the pieces don't glue together.

Squish the tied thread ends into the middle and place glue on top.

This will keep the threads hidden between the flower puff and the leaf.

Press the dandelion puff onto the leaf.

Let this dry over night before using.

I'd love to see any dandelion Puff Barrettes you make using this tutorial!
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Want to cover your hair clippie completely for a more professional touch?

(I plan on doing this next time!)

Look at this wonderful tutorial for help.

How To Make A Covered Hair Barrette

Dandelions/Blowballs~Day 4~

Do you have a post, craft, art, or something on your blog about Dandelions?

Make a post before Saturday and I will link to it!
~See the links below~

"The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought"

Alexander F. Chamberlain

"The dandelion is called the rustic oracle; its flowers always open about 5 A.M. and shut at 8 P.M., serving the shepherd for a clock."

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Remember my list of Fun and Dandy Activities ?
We chose to do this one today

Press a Dandelion. Use the pressed dandelion in a sun catcher.

We dried three dandelions inside a heavy book for an entire week just so we could complete this project. I am not happy with the outcome, but my Lilly loves it anyway, so yay!

We shredded crayons and spread the shavings between two sheets of wax paper, covered it with a towel and ironed. The crayon shavings act as a glue for the wax paper.

Apparently we weren't supposed to put the shaving on top of the flowers, because you can barely see them.

We'll try this one again later!

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The Dandelion has a Variety of Names

Pee in the Bed, Lions Teeth, Fairy Clock, Clock, Clock Flowers, Clocks and Watches, Farmers Clocks, Old Mans Clock, One Clock, Wetweed, Blowball, Cankerwort, Lionstooth, Priests Crown, Puffball, Swinesnout, White Endive, Wild Endive and Pissa-a-beds

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Dandelion History

The dandelion’s use as a medicinal herb reaches far back into Chinese history. The Arabs were the next to recognize its usefulness and wrote about it around the 11th century. It was they who taught Europeans about its medicinal benefits.

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Recipes

Dandelion Pineapple Juice

Sauteed Dandelion Greens

Curried Dandelions

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*Check out this blog post by TeddyStartedIt to learn how to make Dandelion infused oil!
Great for a "great home made gift for an exercise buff or an arthritic grandma"

*~Soap Deli has a wonderful post with Dandelion art~

Dishing Up A Little Dandelion

*~StitchWorks has a Great post with Dandelion art~
Dandelion Art

*~HealingCommunication has a fantastic Dandelion Post~

Dandelion Flower Essence